Bihar to introduce anti-corruption bill

The Bihar Govt is likely to introduce an anti-corruption bill in the state assembly within the next two days, after CM Nitish Kumar's admission that corruption has been a big hurdle in state's development, a minister said in Patna.

The Bihar government is likely to introduce an anti-corruption bill in the state assembly within the next two days, after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's admission that corruption has been a big hurdle in state's development, a minister said in Patna on Monday.

Minister for Law, Public Information and Public Relations Ramnath Thakur said the bill would be introduced in the state assembly either Tuesday or Wednesday.

"The bill aims to control corruption and hit those involved in corruption,” he told IANS.

The Bihar Special Court Bill, 2009, will be a step towards removing corruption and pursuing the corrupt officers in the special court through speedy trial.

”All corrupt officials including serving and retired government officials will come under its ambit after the bill is passed by the state assembly,” an official of the state law department said.

He said the proposed bill will enable the state to confiscate assets of government officials against whom cases of possessing disproportionate assets have been filed and chargesheets have been submitted in the court of law.

Nitish Kumar during the much hyped Vikas Yatra (Development March) in rural Bihar said that corruption has been a big hurdle in the development of the state and sought people's cooperation in the fight against corruption. The march was organised in January-February in Bihar.

The state vigilance department has arrested about 250 government officials on bribery charges in the last three years as part of its anti-corruption drive.

As part of the drive, the department had also arrested Madhepura district magistrate Hemchandra Jha in 2007 on charges of accepting a bribe of Rs.190,000.

Earlier, the residence of a senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Narayan Mishra and an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer was also raided. Over nine kg of gold, including a one kg gold brick, 800 gold coins, and more than one kg of silver was found in the IAS officer's bank locker, department officials had claimed.